Daughter of the Sun and Moon

The Discovery That Changed Everything

"And checkmate. I win again Lulu." Celestia said to her sister.

"Quite. Looks like my loss has been tripled. Huzzah." Luna replied emotionlessly as she starred out the window with a distant look.

"Is something the matter Luna? You seem distracted."

Sighing, Luna sank back into her chair. It's been a little over a month since she returned from her banishment, and since then Luna has slowly begun to reintegrate herself into society. If you didn't mind the constant wave of fear and distrust she got every time she went outside, it wasn't so bad. To relieve some of her stress, every afternoon she and Celestia would sit down and just enjoy each others company. On most days it helps, however recently it's effects seemed to lessen and Luna seemed more distracted and distressed as ever; and that only served to worry Celestia greatly.

"It's nothing, I was just... Thinking."

"About what? Luna, you know you can tell me anything."

"I said it's nothing." Luna replied in a more stern tone. "I going to my room, don't worry I'll be back to raise the moon in time. Thanks for the game Celly."

Just before she could leave, she was forced back into her chair by a very serious Celestia. "Luna, the last time you kept saying "it's nothing" to me, you almost brought Equestria into an eternal night." Celestia sighed and releases Luna from her magic. "Look Luna, I made the mistake of leaving you to face your inner struggles alone once. I'm not making the same mistake twice. I'm not losing you again."

Luna just looked out the window again. "Celestia... How long has it been since we had children?" Celestia wasn't expecting that question. "...Over a thousand years. Maybe a little longer. Is that what's troubling you Luna? That could be easily changed you know. I know of a few guards who-"

"That's not the problem! Luna interrupted Celestia with her Canterlot voice. She calmed herself down before speaking again. "I'm sorry. However going back to what I said, that isn't the problem. I'm not looking for companionship. I... I want to have a child Celestia. I want to have that feeling again, the feeling when you hold your foal in your hooves. When you play with them. When they finally say their first words. No sister, while companionship would be nice it's not what I want. What I want is a foal to call my own again. Whenever we were in a relationship, having a foal was the highlight for me."

"Then why not adopt?"

"Only to watch them slowly age into nothing while you look like you haven't aged a day. No thanks."

"Well what else can you do Luna? From how I see it you only have three choices, one, have one of your own. Two, adopt. And three, don't have one at all."

"And there's my problem. Don't you think I already know that? (Sigh) Why is fate so cruel. Why can't we bear offspring like ourselves?"

"I don't have an answer for that Luna. It's just the way things are. I... I myself feel the same way."

"Then why not help me find a way?"

"You think I haven't tried Luna? Since your banishment I've been so lonely, on more than one occasion I would even adopt a foal from the orphanage. Unfortunately it only hurt more when I see them die of old age, or grow up to be spoiled nobles. I mean look at Blueblood. I've looked extensively for any way for us to give birth to an alicorn and found none. There is no way for us to have that Luna."

Just before both princesses could feel sorry for each other, a guard burst through the door.

"Your highness, we have detected a large amount of unstable magic coming from the border of the badlands."

"Send a few guards to investigate." Said Celestia after a moment to compose herself.

"We already have princess. Captain Shining Armor is with them. The energy's signal led us to an old fortress."

"What did you find." Questioned Luna.

"The report says that the fortress was filled with slavers, they were able to apprehend most of them minus a few strugglers and rescue the slaves."

"And the power surge? Where did it come from?"

"You would never believe me your highness."

"That remains to be seen. You may speak freely, what did you find?"

The guard swallowed hard. "I..it was a foal. An... Alicorn foal.